The Rising
by Beth D.M.R
Summary: Seraphina Alexaindre lives in a world where you're soul is split in three parts; one in your body, another that takes the form of an animal, your Familiar and lastly one in your Partner, your eternal lover, who you literally can't live without. Seraphina has no familiar, which is the sole way to find your partner, and has accepted death. Until a prophecy causes her to meet him.
1. Chapter 1

** Chapter 1**

I shifted.

These clothes were uncomfortable. Immediately after thinking that I felt ashamed, my sisters had worked hard for these cloths that garbed me. Speaking of I looked across the ball room before I saw them, Carrie and Violetta.

Carrie resembled a white lily, beauty that was almost inhuman, much like her familiar, Snow who hovered around her shoulder. The dove was a stunning and rare species. Around Carrie were flocks of men in all ages they hovered around her whispering sweet things. Carrie smiled graciously before catching my eye and winking at my nervousness. She was like the epitome of all things sweet and good.

On the other side of the room was Violetta as by her name her violet eyes flashing. She was our eldest sister and was a dark beauty her looks; the polar opposite of Carrie's. Hovering by her ankles was Noir her Bombay Familiar. Admirers watched from a distance at her graceful figure she was an untouchable rose, such a rarity.

Then there was me. I was short compared to my sisters and completely and utterly average. If you saw us stand in a row there would be no question who the odd one out was.

The singular reason I was at this party held by the Royals was because of my sisters who were fiercely protective, trust me as sweet as Carrie is you do not want to get her angry.

I looked down at the beautiful clothes the cloth itself was shimmering silver draped with strands of shining blue of my dress. I was positive that anyone else in this room would have looked stunning with it on, but for me it was as if a child was playing dress up with woman's clothes. The only thing I was gladly graced with was my sisters slim figures although it looked lanky on me, but it would have been terrible being short and chubby.

I was interrupted by my thoughts as a page boy entered the room with a trumpet. Blowing a few notes he then continued to introduce the royal family. I looked around as the unpartnered females in the room nervously started preening themselves. Ahh I almost forgot the single reason we were even in the palace was for the Partner Ceremony.

From the ages of 17-20 was the age to find a Partner these were your destined lovers for the rest of eternity well at least that was how the story goes. In fact it wasn't you who choose your partners but your Familiars part of your soul transformed into an animal. As my sisters started to make their way over to me I started to twist my necklace around my fingers before a cool hand clutched my own.

"Shhh calm down Sera, everything's alright"

I looked up to see Carrie's flawless face with a calm smile I immediately took a breath and smiled back.

You see my familiar isn't in a physical form. Usually when you start to hear your familiar they take a form that represents your soul, but my soul wavers it turns and twists into mangled messes before twisting again their seemed to be no way to calm it.

By the age of 21 if you don't find a partner you cease to exist it's a cruel metaphor that you can't live without love in your life. I was at the age of 17 four years was all I had.

Another trumpet blared as the page boy announced the eldest prince Kai at his feet was a panther who slinked through the crowd. The females put on their best smiles as the prince walked down the stairs, his gray eyes were piercing.

With a second trumpet the second eldest prince Samuel walked down the stairs a hawk at his shoulder, he was known to be just and compassionate unlike his brother he was gently smiling his hawk standing proudly on his shoulder.

Lastly their came a blare of trumpets before a cloaked figure was seen at the top of the stairs a ripple of unease ran through the crowd interrupted by a light chuckle.

I looked in astonishment to see the prince Kai's eyes flash with amusement before as quick as lightning a hawk flew through the air clutching the cloak between its claws and pulled to reveal the black haired, silver eyed prince underneath looking quite … annoyed.

He shot a glare to prince Samuel before stomping his way down the palace steps it was only then that I noticed, his familiar was nowhere in sight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I was immobilized that was how stunned I was.

For a moment a flash of hope came through my mind before I brushed it off. His Familiar was most likely something small, or maybe he had some special power where they could be separated from more than 20 feet.

My train of thought was quickly interrupted as the princes sat down floods of females immediately rushed towards them, might I add still preening.

My sister's and I stood by the buffet table me munching on fineries we don't usually acquire and they standing gracefully while quietly chatting, how you can stand gracefully is beyond my mental capabilities. After a couple minutes I got used to the loud noises of the room and returned to my thinking business only yet again to be interrupted by the stares the watching men were directing at my sisters.

Even though I wasn't looking at them I could feel their eyes piercing my back. After a few more moments I couldn't take the hungry glares in our direction.  
"Carrie, Violetta" I murmured in between bites of a candied cake "their stares are starting to-"  
I abruptly stopped as I looked up to see that my sisters were nowhere in sight.

I sit the cake I had been nibbling on, on the buffet table, most likely breaking about a billion rules in etiquette about abandonment of food, but unease was spiraling in my stomach and I suddenly noticed how many strangers there were here.

There was no reason to be afraid, I knew that and I began to desperately take deep calming breaths, if you haven't caught on by now you might realize I'm a teensy bit unstable growing up with two beautiful, overly protective sister's was bound to take a toll somewhere. I started walking while taking my breaths until finally I caught a splash of violet and black.

Relief filled me as I quickly pushed past the crowd of people in my way and flung myself at Violetta. Only to find that Violetta was not slim and was not wearing a black dress, in fact this VIoletta was not wearing a dress at all, but a suit and it was quite muscular.  
melting chocolate sort of voice erupted in my ears.

I looked up to see a person who was definitely not Violetta staring down at me.

The prince Zach opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted as a piercing scream ripped through the air.

I ripped around and confirmed my growing horror as Carrie collapsed to the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I ran.

The falling slender figure of my sister was all I could see. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. My vision was quickly tinting red and I desperately shoved it away, right now was not time.

After ages I finally reached Carrie's side, she was gasping in the arms of Violetta. Suddenly she stopped moving and a strange halo of light erupted in the ballroom.

In dread I watched Carrie's blue eyes turn white and Snowe grow to the size of a swan, spreading her wings above her Familiar. I watched helpless as the prophecy flooded into my sister's mind after this passed she would feel intense pain for days. Carrie's mouth opened and her voice boomed through the giant room, it was completely silent as she spoke;

_Go, Pheonix rise from the ashes  
They are coming  
Go Dragon, create your ripple  
You must aid it  
Go, Shadow  
No longer may you stay in darkness  
The world is ending  
A new age approaches  
Run, Run  
Darkness Comes  
Fight, Fight  
Our last stand is near  
Listen, this is no nursery rhyme  
Your last warning does not came from the Present  
Fight Dragon  
Turn Shadow  
Create Pheonix  
Your last warning  
Your last Stand  
Your last Chance  
Your last Choice  
Live for Today  
Go_  
With a final sigh Carolina Alexaindre fell into a death like sleep.

Violetta, stunned by the sudden weight, arms gave way and Carrie headed towards the floor. Once again my vision tinged red and I felt myself collapse to the floor as my sister had done moments before, the last thing I could remember was warms arms enveloping me.

I was floating. It's a blissful thing to have nothing to weigh you down. The darkness I decided was a beautiful place.

"Seraphina" someone was calling my name, they had a beautiful sounding voice.

Not like Carrie's voice that sounded like angel's singing or Violetta's that was layers upon layers of richness. No this voice was entrancing and intriguing no description of mine would even do justice to what it sounded like.

I floated in the darkness for a moment more before the pull of the voice overpowered me and I immediately followet it. I walked aimlessly looking for the being that could produce such a sound. Finally I saw it or more particularly that.

Layers upon layers of brilliant lights in reds, blues, whites, and about a billion other colours I couldn't name. They blinded the cavern I could now see I was in. It was so bright I could not make out the figure of this being.

The voice echoed again.  
"Serephina, wait. Soon you will see me soon. When you awake look for the Shade. That prophecy of your sister's was no fake. Something is coming a change is in the air. Quickly Seraphina. Go, awake. Soon. Soon you'll see me. NOW GO!" Her voice ended in a shout and I awoke from my trance.  
I quickly turned to face the blazing lights of reality.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

One hundred years ago was when I last lived.

At least that is what I think, in reality it couldn't have been more than three days. When I had last awoken from my dreaming state the only thing I could see was beautiful rays of sun kissed light filtering through emerald leaves. It wasn't until hundreds of minutes later that I realized I could not remember how I had found myself in the middle of a thick forest.

The last thing I recalled of reality was Carrie disappearing into darkness. I had stood then scared and as night touched the forest I resided in I walked towards the east, or at least what I assumed to be east. For days it seems that I've walked, and everything in my memory has begun to mist over until only a single phrase remains "Find the Shade".

It repeats over and over, again and again. Driving me in and out of madness, but at least I have a drive, a goal. So I continue to walk in hopes that I will reach the end of the forest or find some kind soul willing to help me.

Sometimes as I walk I relive bits of my past. Today is one of those days I recall when Carrie received her first Gift.

It was a year after Snowe appeared and we were in the back of our little cottage immersed in the colourful plants that grew there, we being mother, father, Violetta, Carrie and I.  
Carrie had neatly piled her skirts in a blossom around her and was sitting with a gentle grace next to Violetta. I was still a child, attempting to catch Noir (Violetta's Familiar) it seemed was my sole purpose in life at the time.  
Of course while I was attempting to catch Noir, the Bombay cat was chasing after Snowe. We must have made a spectacle of ourselves since I can still clearly recall my families peals of laughter, suddenly the world seemed to freeze and all the beautiful colours of the garden that I had grown accustomed to turned into shades of black, gray and white. Almost unconsciously I had turned towards Carrie and I had watched as she had fallen forwards before her beautiful blue eyes became a misty white. I can't remember what Carrie's prophecy had been about, I could only remember being very scared for both Carrie and myself. Afterwards Carrie came down with a weird disease where her mouth would spout blood.  
Father had explained to me about the Gifts then. He said they were special powers granted to us that reflected the most powerful characteristics in our souls that could not stay silent or still. Carrie's just happened to be prophecy, I think after that I asked him what Violetta's was and he said that I was too young to understand.

I still remember fondly those moments with my parents whether they were good or bad I cherished them all the same. I snapped back to reality then and realized the first rays of dawn were swirling through the air. Tired I was so very tired and hungry and thirsty. I felt the world turn around me as I collapsed to the forest floor.

Something smelt delicious. "I think I'm in heaven" was my first thought. There was absolutely no way anything on this planet could smell so good. I slowly opened my eyes to meet an unfamiliar room.

Everything was hidden in shadows which scared me. I carefully stepped from the black bed I seemed to have been sleeping on and was thankful that I was fully clothed in the cloth I had worn during the Partner Ceremony. I exited from the room through a hole that I found after certain exploration.

After crawling through I found a hallway with a yellowish light flickering at the end. Carefully I inched my way towards the light.

Now I know what you're thinking. "Run you (insert whatever you deem necessary) at the end of that tunnel theirs probably a man eating monster." I can now assure you I am probably the most idiotic person in the world because I have a very large knack to be curious and in this moment I was incredibly curious on who in the world would help a random person that collapsed in the middle of the to be safe though as I neared the door at the end of the hallway I grabbed a passing poker stick.

As I finally reached the end of the hall I shifted the stick in my hand before barging straight through it. The first thing I noticed when I entered the room was it or more particularly, him. The figure that was looming over a fire pit, that contained that beautiful smell, as I continued to run I watched entranced as he swung around and grabbed the stick that was in my hand a millimeter before it stabbed him through the chest and I stared at the most beautiful boy I had ever seen in my entire life.

His hair was the darkest, richest colour you could imagine of black, brown and blonde and his eyes, his eyes were the most intricate things I had ever encountered. They shifted from an ebony, to amber before resting on the most beautiful, bluest, violet you could ever encounter, much like the sky just before dawn touched it. I stared before I realized he had a dagger pointed at my chest.

"Who are you?" I asked he looked at me for a single moment before shifting to rest his knife against my throat. He seemed to think for a moment before speaking in a hauntingly lovely voice.  
"Since this will be the last moment you live I'll grace you with my name" his mouth quirked with a smile that would never reach his eyes,  
"they call me Shade".


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

One hundred years ago was when I last lived.

At least that is what I think, in reality it couldn't have been more than three days. When I had last awoken from my dreaming state the only thing I could see was beautiful rays of sun kissed light filtering through emerald leaves. It wasn't until hundreds of minutes later that I realized I could not remember how I had found myself in the middle of a thick forest.

The last thing I recalled of reality was Carrie disappearing into darkness. I had stood then scared and as night touched the forest I resided in I walked towards the east, or at least what I assumed to be east. For days it seems that I've walked, and everything in my memory has begun to mist over until only a single phrase remains "Find the Shade".

It repeats over and over, again and again. Driving me in and out of madness, but at least I have a drive, a goal. So I continue to walk in hopes that I will reach the end of the forest or find some kind soul willing to help me.

Sometimes as I walk I relive bits of my past. Today is one of those days I recall when Carrie received her first Gift.

It was a year after Snowe appeared and we were in the back of our little cottage immersed in the colourful plants that grew there, we being mother, father, Violetta, Carrie and I.  
Carrie had neatly piled her skirts in a blossom around her and was sitting with a gentle grace next to Violetta. I was still a child, attempting to catch Noir (Violetta's Familiar) it seemed was my sole purpose in life at the time.  
Of course while I was attempting to catch Noir, the Bombay cat was chasing after Snowe. We must have made a spectacle of ourselves since I can still clearly recall my families peals of laughter, suddenly the world seemed to freeze and all the beautiful colours of the garden that I had grown accustomed to turned into shades of black, gray and white. Almost unconsciously I had turned towards Carrie and I had watched as she had fallen forwards before her beautiful blue eyes became a misty white. I can't remember what Carrie's prophecy had been about, I could only remember being very scared for both Carrie and myself. Afterwards Carrie came down with a weird disease where her mouth would spout blood.  
Father had explained to me about the Gifts then. He said they were special powers granted to us that reflected the most powerful characteristics in our souls that could not stay silent or still. Carrie's just happened to be prophecy, I think after that I asked him what Violetta's was and he said that I was too young to understand.

I still remember fondly those moments with my parents whether they were good or bad I cherished them all the same. I snapped back to reality then and realized the first rays of dawn were swirling through the air. Tired I was so very tired and hungry and thirsty. I felt the world turn around me as I collapsed to the forest floor.

Something smelt delicious. "I think I'm in heaven" was my first thought. There was absolutely no way anything on this planet could smell so good. I slowly opened my eyes to meet an unfamiliar room.

Everything was hidden in shadows which scared me. I carefully stepped from the black bed I seemed to have been sleeping on and was thankful that I was fully clothed in the cloth I had worn during the Partner Ceremony. I exited from the room through a hole that I found after certain exploration.

After crawling through I found a hallway with a yellowish light flickering at the end. Carefully I inched my way towards the light.

Now I know what you're thinking. "Run you (insert whatever you deem necessary) at the end of that tunnel theirs probably a man eating monster." I can now assure you I am probably the most idiotic person in the world because I have a very large knack to be curious and in this moment I was incredibly curious on who in the world would help a random person that collapsed in the middle of the to be safe though as I neared the door at the end of the hallway I grabbed a passing poker stick.

As I finally reached the end of the hall I shifted the stick in my hand before barging straight through it. The first thing I noticed when I entered the room was it or more particularly, him. The figure that was looming over a fire pit, that contained that beautiful smell, as I continued to run I watched entranced as he swung around and grabbed the stick that was in my hand a millimeter before it stabbed him through the chest and I stared at the most beautiful boy I had ever seen in my entire life.

His hair was the darkest, richest colour you could imagine of black, brown and blonde and his eyes, his eyes were the most intricate things I had ever encountered. They shifted from an ebony, to amber before resting on the most beautiful, bluest, violet you could ever encounter, much like the sky just before dawn touched it. I stared before I realized he had a dagger pointed at my chest.

"Who are you?" I asked he looked at me for a single moment before shifting to rest his knife against my throat. He seemed to think for a moment before speaking in a hauntingly lovely voice.  
"Since this will be the last moment you live I'll grace you with my name" his mouth quirked with a smile that would never reach his eyes,  
"they call me Shade".


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Left, right, right, left.

We had been walking for three days. Over the course of this time I had reached a sort of schedule. Wake up, get thrown a piece of stale bread, walk, walk, walk, drink water, walk, walk, walk, and eat a piece of stale cheese on stale bread and sleep. Yup fun stuff I suppose it wouldn't have been so bad if I could have gotten some answers out of the Shade, but guess what, he spoke in various phases of silence. Yes that's right, he didn't talk at all zip, nada, zero in fact I was starting to question my acceptance of this deal.

My thinking came from two reasons the first because of his obvious refusal to talk about the Shadow, which as I recall clearly he had promised to exchange information with me, and the second was due to the "rabids" as the Shade so kindly phrased them or lack of. In these three days I hadn't seen not even a hint of a vicious beast, but still I continued to follow this beautiful murdering, annoying, really scary guy.

Speaking of I looked up from my feet expecting to see the devil himself, but was met with a silent forest. Shade was nowhere to be seen.

Carefully I looked around inspecting each part of the clearing specifically, I had noticed that over the course of these few days when I zoned out for a few moments Shade seemed to have disappeared into the shadows of the forest, but this time it was no such case. Shade had disappeared leaving not a single trace behind.

I looked around for a few moments contemplating whether or not to call out for him before deciding against it, his entire demeanour throughout this entire span of days had suggested total carelessness on my survival. I mean he tried to kill me when we first met. This led onto a swarm of questions I had no hopes on answering regarding the sudden healing capabilities and whatever happened to that knife?

I quickly pushed the thoughts away, now was not the time. I needed to think of some sort of plan to find my way out of here. Just because I hadn't seen any vicious beasts I wasn't going to take the chance of leaving myself unguarded.  
"First" I thought" Is to find a water source."

I rapidly walked in the direction opposite of which we came from until I reached a pool of running water. Quickly I stuffed myself full before looking around for a form of shelter. The sun was just beginning to set before I decided on climbing a tree. The last time I had been unguarded and unconscious on the ground was when the Shade had found me and that meeting just turned out amazingly.

Quickly I scaled a tree relatively close to the water. As I climbed I relived one of my happiest childhood memories.

It had to be when I was about six, for an entire day I had been attempting to climb an apple tree because Violetta and Carrie were both heavily ill. I had seen those beautiful apples and I just had a feeling that if I gave them to my sister's they would immediately get better. There I was ruining my favourite blue dress attempting to reach these two gorgeous shiny red apples I had set my eyes on that were at the top of the tree. As I fell for what seemed like the billionth time ,my eyes began to water as I felt the impossibility of this task, that was when I felt hands wrap around my eyes. I remember looking back and seeing my childhood friend… weird I can't seem to remember his name, but I knew he smelled like chocolate and sunshine my two favourite things in the whole world. He had carefully helped me up and stayed at the bottom of the tree waiting, so whenever I fell he would catch me and encourage me to try to climb again. Eventually at the end of the day I finally reached those two beautiful apples.

I missed him just then as I thought about my past, he was my comfort, friend and now I realize the first person I liked. Of course it was just a child's love, but still it was sweet. I thought about this as I finally reached a fork in the tree branches, I pulled out the gray blanket from the bag that the Shade gave me and wrapped myself in it and carefully lying down. As I fell asleep it seemed as if I could smell chocolate and sunshine.

Deep growls were what awoke me. It was still dark as I struggled to wipe the sleep from my brain and for my eyes to adjust to the sudden blackness. When they did I looked below me wondering what these noises were, I was met with a pair of luminescent red eyes.

My heart beat quickly sped up as I frantically untangled myself from the blanket while shoving it in my bag because of my lovely planning skills I felt myself tilt sideways before my stomach felt like it was falling to my feet. I was falling straight into the monster's teeth. I landed on the ground with a thud.

Terrified I opened my eyes to see that "rabid" still at the tree a few feet away. I cried out in thanks, mentally of course, before carefully standing up and inching myself away from the animal, I was almost in a canopy of trees, before the beast started to sniff the air.

I froze as it's head swirled towards me. We stared at each other for moments, red eyes against green. That is before it pounced.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out, I threw my hands in front of me and closed my eyes. I waited for the impact. It never came.

I slowly opened my eyes to see my vision was tinted red and my hands were filled with a blazing red and blue fire.


	7. Chapter 7

I stared in amazement at my hands before an acrid smell hit me.

I jerked my head up to see the beast in front of me burning into smithereens. I scrunched my nose up before silently cheering on whatever was allowing these flames to sprout from my hands.  
"I'll figure out the details later I quickly thought to myself before concentrating on my hands to see that the burning fire had disappeared and I was left with a half burned beast, that was furious with me.

"Flames!" I yelled to myself staring expectantly at my hands. Receiving …nothing . I watched helpless as the beast opened it's giant mouth to snap around my head, I was frozen to the spot, fear immobilizing my lungs. I literally felt a drop of drool on my shoulder, but I could only just watch.

"MOVE!" I yelled at myself, but my body decided that now would be the perfect time to become a freaking icicle. Suddenly there was a whistling sound in the air before a knife was imbedded at the monsters throat.

I watched as it reared in pain ;black liquid started to drip from the wound with a final gasp it slumped down, dead. I watched as the carcass of the monster slowly dissipated into a giant mess of black goo. I turned around to see the Shade.

He stared at me, his eyes holding a wild amount of fury and …fear? As soon as I had placed the emotion his face twisted into a smirk in a I-told- you-so fashion and I began too question my eyesight. For just this moment though I was too shocked to care.  
"Come" he said grabbing my hand and pulling me away "the rabids will smell the blood" it was only then that I felt the sharp sting from my hands and knees. Before I could glance down we were running through the forest, as we sprinted I realized that we were making absolutely no sound I was beginning to get scared. I looked down where my hand was clutched in between the Shade's and screamed, my entire body had disappeared.

The boy in front of me clenched my hand before whirling around and clamped his own hand over my mouth. His breath steamed over my face heavily as I stared fearfully into his now ebony coloured eyes.

In the dark I could see his figure as he leaned down towards me while loosening his hold on my mouth. I watched transfixed until he was millimeters away from my face, my breath hitched, a blush rising to my pale cheeks; he was so close. Suddenly I heard a crunching sound a few feet away, I tensed while listening, the beast let out a ferocious roar before running in the direction that we had come from.

By the time he was gone the Shade had disappeared from my face and was looking ahead my hand, I noticed was still in his.  
"Come, we must go" I shivered as I thought of what could have happened if the beast hadn't interrupted.

My fear returned then  
"No" I replied my voice was as frail as paper, "No" I tried again "I refuse to move until you explain to me why I couldn't see me. Why you could find me in this giant forest." I was grasping for words right now, but I couldn't care less.

I wanted answers and I would get them no matter what.

The Shade for the first time ever looked at me truly, his eyes were unguarded.

He gazed at me before uttering five words "My familiar, is the Shadow".


	8. Chapter 8

"What?" I whispered as a patter of rain began to fall from the sky.

Here was I running around on a goose chase when my goose had been right in front of me.

"My Familiar is the Shadow, I've told you you're precious piece of information to satisfy you're reckless curiosity, now satisfy me and move or else we won't survive the night. The beasts have a mind link once one of them has tasted you're blood they'll hunt you until you're dead." The Shade hissed at me and for the first time I realized what a dangerous predator he is; with his hair and face splattered with rain drops and his eyes an ink ebony he looked like a piece of darkness himself.

I was desperately wishing he would have stuck to ignoring me. Fearfully I forced myself to move my feet and as we sprinted through the forest I felt questions pour out of me cramping themselves in my brain. I dare not utter a word though; fear seemed to have captured me in its silent clutches. I don't know how long we ran for since the forest always appeared dark to me all I know is that the rain picked up into a torrential downpour ,soaking me to the bone, before subsiding into a drizzle.

Eventually the Shade led me to a small house covered by clusters of trees with bark that seemed to have splotches of black. The Shade stopped abruptly a few feet before the door and yelled into the cool night  
"Open up Melantha." At the end he uttered words in a language that sounded like a sleek growl mixed with layers of overlapping silk. I shivered, the language scared me like a beautiful entwined trap that would capture you once you got to close to it.

After a moment I heard an answering voice of water in the same language before the door of the house creaked upon and a blinding light shone out cut off by the figure of a woman. She slowly stepped out of the house her walk looked as if she was floating. As she walked towards us I realized that a ball of light was around her hand which she held close to her face.

I gasped fogetting about her hand of light, this woman rivaled Carrie and Violetta's beauty combined. Her hair shimmered in a shade of what could only be described as silver, but her eyes, her eyes could rival anyone but the Shade's, framed by thick silver lashes were eyes with icicle like strands wrapped around a sky of blue.

They made you want to look anywhere, but at her eyes as if she would see all you're secrets. But I stared, not now would I back down. Melantha's mouth quirked into a shimmering smile as she looked past me, at the Shade taking a step closer she looked into his eyes. She raised her hand and touched his face in such an intimate way I felt uncomfortable, but with an underlying feeling that made me feel sick. For some reason I continued to watch as they exchanged words through that sleek language again, except this time it didn't feel so silky, instead the words sounded much more like common tongue.

This time I caught the words _Captured, hunted and a word that held so much passion I couldn't decipher it._ They must be lovers I decided; after all beautiful people love beautiful people. My mouth suddenly opened on its own and unknowingly I began to speak in the language they had been so intimately uttering.

This time the voice in my head acted as a translator  
_"__Pardon the intrusion, I don't mean to interrupt a conversation of Partners, but if you please, who are you?"_ It seemed that this language didn't know sarcasm, it was old, I could tell just by speaking it, rudeness could only be portrayed in a clever way, for what I had intended to say would have indeed been rude.

The couple looked up the Shade's eyes were an amber colour mixed with black they looked at me in curiosity and surprise while Melantha stared in shock her icy eyes surveyed me, a frigid aura surround her before she spoke in accented common tongue,  
"Why don't we take this inside, I believe you're scent will catch unwanted attention quite soon." With a sweep she and her light hand swirled towards the door of the house.

The Shade surveyed me "We're not Partners" he said to me before following Melantha.


	9. Chapter 9

Melantha's house was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen it reminded me of a piece of a fairy book.

Despite the fact that it was night outside, her house was full of warm light that streamed through the windows. How she managed to do this continued on making me more skeptical of her with each step we took from the door, she scared me.

I followed the Shade his dark mass of hair stood out ridiculously in this space full of glass objects and light. Melantha led us through so many hallways I lost count.

"How can this house be so big?" I muttered to myself in confusion. Eventually she led us to a round table in the middle of a room full of windows with brilliant warm light streaming through. She gestured for the Shade to sit, he of course remained standing.

Now I was completely fed up with her attitude.  
Mustering whatever grace I had managed to acquire from my beautiful sisters I walked towards a wooden chair by the table and for that single moment with the light streaming in just the right way I let my bluish silver dress flutter around me as I gracefully positioned myself on the chair. Carrie would have been proud.

That is until Melantha raised a perfect eyebrow at me and started coldly laughing.  
"My dear Shadow you have dug yourself a grave why did you bring **her **here!" she said in that guttural language.

I swirled around to see the Shade staring at me with transfixed violet-blue eyes.  
"I didn't know who she was" he replied.  
I felt fury rise from me I was so tired of this especially him.

"STOP!" I yelled at the top of my lungs in common tongue.  
"Well their goes your graceful image" a shimmering voice spoke from my brain.  
"Shut" I hissed back.  
"Somebody explain to me what's going on! I'm tired of secrets." My last sentence ended in a whisper.

I stared at the Shade glaring at him to disagree.  
"Well the ugly here doesn't even know it herself" Melantha muttered in common tongue. It was just like that I felt myself explode.

"Ugly" swirled in my head accompanied by "fat" and "worthless" how many times had I heard those cruel words plu much more shouted at me in disgust. They twisted in my head. Burning I was burning.

A scream echoed through my ears. I didn't realize it was Melantha until I opened my eyes to see my vision was red.

Turning around I caught a glimpse of myself in a window, my green eyes had turned into a fiery red with tinges of blue in the corner and my hair my chestnut coloured hair had turned midnight sparking dangerously yellow, red or blue at the tips as around me a halo in resemblance of a giant beautiful white bird took form. It was if I was a majestic goddess who held such beauty I could not describe.

I swiftly turned to see Melantha to my surprise she was completely overlooking me instead she was staring at something just above my head her mouth hung open in a soundless scream, suddenly steam began to pour from her ruby red lips it quickly misted into a cloud the colour of her icicle like eyes.

The Shade had been so quiet I nearly forgot about him until he stepped forward his eyes had turned to ebony black and a dark shadow hung to him as he swiftly walked towards Melantha with a glass shard in his hand. The mist compressed itself together. As I watched, it slowly collected in the shard turning a green, blue, red, orange and yellow colour. Finally that mist was gone and all that was left was a dazed Melantha who quickly snapped out of it falling back on herself.

The Shade stepped in then catching her in his arms. That weird pang echoed in my heart again, but I pushed it away.  
"What had just happened?" I slowly lowered myself into the wooden chair. My sight had now returned to normal. I stared at Melantha  
"Who was she, or more exactly what?" No human could emit such a thing from their mouth, the only event I had ever seen that was similar was when Carrie was reciting a prophecy, but even that left Carrie close to her death for days on end. Melantha looked quite relaxed and well peaceful.

I stared at Melantha who I could barely see just over the Shade's shoulder. She looked at me apprehensively when she talked again it was in a voice of cold horror.

"I am a Seer" she said "One who can sense all the ties in this world because all three parts of my soul are my own. Some call me a witch, but I am no such thing. For every person I see I can understand their purpose in the world, their Partner, their Familiar, their Past" at this she looked at me sharply. "In that piece of glass is a piece for the lost. You Seraphina Alexaindre are lost and in that shard is your name, your real one. We each have one it controls you if someone has your real name they will control you. In that shard is a destiny given so that you may continue on your journey for it will change the world."

I Stared at this woman stunned as she took the shard of glass from the Shade's hand and coldly pressed it on to my own. She turned to look at the Shade  
"We must tell her who she must be. The Darkness is coming, it approaches fast. Her confusion will destroy us all."

I looked at the Shade my dazed moment was gone the moment his eyes met mine, they were clear and something in them told me to trust him. Still staring at me almost unnoticeably he nodded. I turned back to Melantha.

"You" she said looking at me "Are the Rising."


End file.
